There’s value to be found in the English Premiership and France’s Top 14 this weekend, and even better returns when you stack the two of the fixtures into a double.
Leicester Tigers to beat Bath at home (2.85)
Leicester Tigers host Bath on Saturday. It’s a repeat of last season’s final, which Bath won 23–21. Bath have had a great start to the season — three wins from three matches, with two at home and one away. The only common denominator between Bath and Leicester is that both have played Harlequins, and both have beaten them — Bath did it away, while Leicester managed it at home.
For results, fixtures, stats and history check out AfricaPicks’ guide to the English Premiership
Leicester are one from three so far, but they’ve only played one game at home, which was against Harlequins. There’s been a change in leadership too — Michael Chieke is gone, and Geoff Parling has taken over. The general prediction is that Leicester will finish around fifth or sixth, but I tend to disagree — I think they’ll finish higher. They’ve got the capability, especially at home, to knock over Bath, the reigning champions, despite Johan van Graan’s team being on a great run. Given the odds, I think that’s a good value bet. If you’re looking to take a calculated risk on a match, that would be the one for me — to back Leicester to stop Bath’s juggernaut.
Castres Olympique to beat Stade Francais away from home (3.65)
The Top 14 is always a risky league to bet on when you’re backing an away team. Historically, very few sides have managed consistent wins on the road — outside of the likes of an in-form Toulouse, a powerhouse Toulon, or La Rochelle at their peak.
That said, Stade Français have started the season well. They’ve won four from six, while Castres are sitting on three from six. With odds of 3.85, it’s hard to ignore the value. A team that’s among the top three on the table has every chance of pulling off an away win.
For results, fixtures, stats and history visit AfricaPicks’ guide to the Top 14
French rugby is always tightly contested — the margins are small, and the fixtures are often unpredictable — but I’m backing Stade Français to do something special this weekend and get the win at Castre.
Total accumulator odds (including Betway win boost): 10.71
If you’re willing to take a flutter on a calculated risk, odds of 10.71 offer great value when combining the outcome of these two matches.
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